ORIOLES QUICK WRAP
Score: Pirates 6, Orioles 2
Recap: Gabriel Ynoa allowed a run on three hits in the first inning, with Andrew McCutchen lining a double into left-center field with two outs and scoring on Gregory Polanco's single. ... Jason Garcia allowed two runs and four hits, walked one and hit a batter, in 1 2/3 innings. ... Rule 5 pick Anthony Santander had a game-tying RBI single in the fourth. ... Parker Bridwell gave up three runs in the eighth on back-to-back home runs after striking...
BRADENTON, Fla. - The Orioles have lost outfielder/first baseman Christian Walker on a waiver claim to the Braves.
Walker, 25, was designated for assignment on Tuesday to make room for left-hander Richard Bleier on the 40-man roster. The Orioles wanted to pass him through waivers and keep him in the organization.
Walker, formerly a fourth-round pick out of the University of South Carolina, was named the organization's minor league Player of the Year in 2014. He appeared in 13 games with the...
BRADENTON, Fla. - The injuries are piling up for the Orioles, with outfielder Michael Bourn the latest player housed in the training room.
Bourn broke the ring finger on his right hand yesterday while trying to catch a football as part of his workout at the Ed Smith Stadium complex. Manager Buck Showalter said Bourn could be out four weeks.
Players often toss around a football before batting practice on the road or near the conclusion of their workout. Bourn jammed the finger and X-rays...
BRADENTON, Fla. - The Orioles aren't done making roster moves in spring training or seeking ways to improve their infield depth.
Veteran Paul Janish has signed a minor league deal that includes an invitation to spring training, returning him to the organization after it appeared that the Orioles have moved on from him.
Janish, 34, has played in 14 games with the Orioles in each of the past two seasons. He batted .286/.278/.371 in 2015 and .194/.286/.226 in 2016.
Manager Buck Showalter values...
BRADENTON, Fla. - Dariel Ãlvarez is in Orioles camp again this spring as an outfielder and is showing no interest in making the transition to pitcher.
Ãlvarez, 28, confirmed that the Orioles approached him with the idea, but he's trying to make the club at his natural position.
"At the moment, I'm a hitter," he said through interpreter Ramon Alarcon. "That's where my mindset is right now, to be a hitter. The things that I've done so far as a hitter. So I look at myself as a hitter...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are sending only three of their players to Bradenton today who will be leaving camp for the World Baseball Classic.
Welington Castillo isn't in the lineup against the Pirates. Audry Pérez is the starting catcher.
Manny Machado is playing shortstop and batting third against former Orioles farmhand Steven Brault. Adam Jones is batting cleanup and Jonathan Schoop his batting fifth.
Joey Rickard is leading off.
For the Orioles Joey Rickard LF Craig Gentry RF Manny...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles will find out later today whether their regulars can maintain the high standard set yesterday by their backups, Rule 5 picks and non-roster invitees.
The mismatch on paper didn't play out in Lakeland, as the Orioles shut out the Tigers 2-0 in their exhibition opener. Hyun Soo Kim was the only projected starter in the lineup - at least against right-handers - but seven pitchers combined to blank the hosts and Johnny Giavotella collected three hits.
Ryan Flaherty...
LAKELAND, Fla. - The Orioles didn't win their first exhibition game last spring until March 12 against the Twins. They had 10 losses and two ties.
The Grapefruit League isn't putting the same squeeze on them in 2017.
Stefan Crichton struck out Mike Gerber to strand a runner on second base today in the bottom of the ninth inning and the Orioles won their opener 2-0 over the Tigers at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium.
The Tigers managed only five baserunners, and seven Orioles pitchers...
ORIOLES QUICK WRAP
Score: Orioles 2, Tigers 0
Recap: Tyler Wilson retired all six batters he faced, striking out one and throwing 14 of 21 pitches for strikes. ... Johnny Giavotella singled in all three of his at-bats. ... Ryan Flaherty drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly in the second inning.
Need to know: Jayson Aquino struck out two batters in two scoreless innings. ... Right fielder Chris Dickerson recorded three putouts in the first two innings. He also had a walk and stolen base...
LAKELAND, Fla. - Today's game isn't scheduled to begin until 1:30 p.m. due to opening ceremonies at the newly refurbished Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium.
First baseman/outfielder David Washington is listed on the travel roster, but he's day-to-day after jamming his right shoulder while diving back into first base on an attempted pickoff. He had a single and double in Tuesday's intrasquad game.
Washington was a late addition to the lineup after the Orioles designated Christian Walker...
LAKELAND, Fla. - Shortstop J.J. Hardy said this morning that his back continues to feel much better and yesterday's injection was done to "get over the hump."
Hardy doesn't have a hump on his back and he isn't ringing a bell later. You know the expression.
While waiting to be cleared for baseball activities, Hardy continues to take a dose pack and perform core strength exercises. The Orioles think he could play by March 10.
"I think everything's still going as planned," he...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Hyun Soo Kim is riding the bus to Lakeland for the Orioles' exhibition opener today against the Tigers.
He counts as a regular.
Kim is playing left field and batting third. Chris Dickerson is playing right field and leading off.
Ryan Flaherty is the shortstop and Caleb Joseph is catching.
For the Orioles Chris Dickerson RF Johnny Giavotella 2B Hyun Soo Kim LF Trey Mancini 1B Logan Schafter CF Chris Johnson 3B Anthony Santander DH Ryan Flaherty SS Caleb Joseph C
Tyler Wilson...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles are ready to dip into their Grapefruit League schedule with today's trip to Lakeland to play the Tigers. We've moved into a new phase of spring training. There are games and an actual opponent from outside the organization.
The mailbag is filling up and the repetition is the same in the south. You ask it, I answer it, you ask it again.
Let's get to a few of the more pressing questions.
Is practice open to the public? It was. And it will be again next spring. Back...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles squeezed in a five-inning intrasquad game this morning before meetings occupied the rest of their day.
Major League Baseball sent representatives to discuss rule changes with manager Buck Showalter and his staff. The team gathered in the clubhouse for the annual briefing from the players association, led by union chief Tony Clark, which prevented media access.
Of all the rule changes proposed by MLB prior to the new collective bargaining agreement, only the removal...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy received a cortisone injection in his lower back earlier today, but it was scheduled all along and not done because of a setback in his recovery.
Showalter remains encouraged by the progress being made by Hardy, Chris Tillman (shoulder) and Zach Britton (oblique).
"Yeah, nothing negative there. They're on good footing," Showalter said following the Orange Team's 3-1 win over the Black Team in the intrasquad game.
"I know J.J. had an injection...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles decided to do some scoring in their second intrasquad game.
Manny Machado hit a two-run homer off Vidal Nuño in the bottom of the third inning and Welington Castillo followed with a solo shot to lead the Orange Team to a 3-1 victory over the Black Team at Ed Smith Stadium.
Nuño threw 15 of his 19 pitches for strikes, so at least he was in the zone.
Adam Jones singled with one out for his second hit of the day, lining the eighth pitch of the at-bat into left...
SARASOTA, Fla. - A quick tour of the injury ward in the Orioles' spring clubhouse this morning didn't reveal any setbacks. The news was encouraging.
Chris Tillman will play catch again today, extending the distance on his throws, to further test the condition of his right shoulder.
"It feels good," he said. "Another work day today. Catch, a lot of exercise, shoulder stuff."
Tillman was shut down in December and administered a platelet-rich plasma injection in his shoulder.
"The problem...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The sun is shining at the Ed Smith Stadium complex and the Orioles are prepared to play their second intrasquad game at 11:30 a.m.
The lineups are out for starters Ubaldo Jiménez and Kevin Gausman.
Orange Team Jonathan Schoop 2B Adam Jones CF Manny Machado SS Welington Castillo C Chris Davis 1B Mark Trumbo DH Hyun Soo Kim LF Seth Smith RF Ryan Flaherty 3B
Ubaldo Jiménez RHP
Black Team Aneury Tavárez LF Johnny Giavotella 2B Logan Schafer CF Chris Johnson 3B Trey Mancini...
SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles added two outfielders on minor league contracts within a span of three days, signing veterans Craig Gentry and Michael Bourn. Good defenders, good speed, capable of backing up at all three spots.
Meanwhile, Joey Rickard shows up each morning and enthusiastically runs through every drill, tracking the ball in the outfield and in the cage without looking over his shoulder. It wouldn't work any other way.
No one handed Rickard a job on report date, but he didn't have...
SARASOTA, Fla. - Left-hander Wade Miley no longer will pitch in Thursday's rescheduled intrasquad game. Miley has been named the starter for Sunday's home exhibition opener against the Pirates.
Ubaldo Jiménez and Kevin Gausman are starting in the intrasquad game, which has been reduced to five innings.
The Orioles begin Grapefruit League play on Friday in Lakeland with Tyler Wilson opposing the Tigers' Michael Fulmer. Gabriel Ynoa starts Saturday in Bradenton against the Pirates' Steven...